Van Helsing

In a quest to purge the darkness from the world, Gabriel Van Helsing (Hugh Jackman), weary of his monotonous existence as a monster-slaying mercenary for the Vatican, is tasked by Cardinal Jinette (Alun Armstrong) with the formidable mission of eliminating Count Vladislaus Dracula (Richard Roxburgh). This assignment comes with a heavy burden, not only because it threatens to further tarnish Van Helsing's already dubious reputation but also because it compels him to confront the long-lost memories that were irreparably taken from him due to his previous transgressions. The Vatican's motivation for this quest is rooted in the centuries-old promise made by a Transylvanian knight named Valerius the Elder, who swore to the heavens that his descendants would never rest until they vanquished Dracula, a creature responsible for the downfall of their family.

As Van Helsing sets out on his perilous journey to Transylvania, armed with nothing but a cryptic image, sacred relics, and an arsenal of holy weapons, he finds himself entangled in a web of intrigue. The arrival of Princess Anna (Kate Beckinsale) and Prince Velkan (Will Kemp), the last remaining members of the Valerius family, serves as a catalyst for Van Helsing's quest, which is fueled by his determination to redeem the souls of these two individuals. The Church's commitment to saving their eternal fates hangs precariously in the balance.

Upon arriving in Transylvania, Van Helsing encounters a hostile reception from the locals, who are wary of strangers. His initial attempts to establish a rapport with Princess Anna are disrupted by the sudden appearance of Dracula's three brides - Aleera (Elena Anaya), Marishka (Josie Maran), and Verona (Silvia Colloca) - harpies who swoop in to kidnap Anna, only to be thwarted time and again by Van Helsing's cunning and bravery. The destruction of Marishka at the hands of Van Helsing's holy crossbow proves a turning point in his quest, as it sparks a violent backlash from the vampires, who now seek vengeance against him.

Dracula himself is enraged by Van Helsing's actions, not only because he has lost one of his three brides but also because he had previously relied on Victor Frankenstein (Samuel West) to animate his undead offspring. The recent destruction of Dracula's werewolf by Velkan Valerius with a silver bullet further compounds the Count's ire, setting the stage for an epic battle between good and evil.

As the darkness of despair enveloped Velkan's lifeless body, Anna's gratitude towards Van Helsing for saving her from Marishka's clutches was palpable. The evening that followed found Anna eager to embark on a vampire hunt, but Van Helsing, wise in his caution, opted to bide his time until the dawn broke. Under the veil of knockout spray, Anna's enthusiasm was temporarily subdued. When she awoke to an eerie silence, the castle halls lay shrouded in darkness, and Van Helsing's absence was a source of concern. Yet, amidst the shadows, a presence lurked - that of Velkan, transformed into a werewolf due to his unfortunate encounter with the beast on the precipice. As the moon momentarily concealed itself behind a cloud, Velkan regained his human form, cautioning Anna of the impending doom. However, the moon's reappearance triggered a metamorphosis, and Velkan's feral instincts took over as he lunged at Anna. Van Helsing intervened, firing a shot that sent Velkan leaping out the window, with the priest following closely behind. It was then that Anna halted Van Helsing's pursuit, revealing her hope of finding a cure for werewolfism, allegedly hidden within Dracula's domain. Convinced by Anna's words, Van Helsing agreed to join forces and search for the antidote, determined to save Velkan from his monstrous affliction.

Their investigation led them to Castle Frankenstein, where they discovered Velkan strapped to the infamous machine, his life force being harnessed by Dracula and Igor (Kevin J. O'Connor) to animate an army of baby vampires. The strike of lightning infused the infant vampires with Velkan's lifeforce, causing them to hatch in droves. Van Helsing responded with a hail of bullets, but the relentless swarm continued to pour forth. Enraged by this development, Dracula launched himself at Van Helsing, only to be met with a silver stake that proved ineffective - a wooden stake being the necessary remedy.

The hordes of vampire infants, under the guidance of Aleera and her brides, took flight towards the nearby village, intent on learning the art of feeding. However, their fledgling attempts at sustenance ended in catastrophic failure as they began to explode in mid-air. Dracula's ire was piqued by this turn of events, and he ordered Velkan to eliminate Van Helsing and Anna. In their desperate bid to escape Castle Frankenstein, the duo found themselves plummeting into a subterranean cave, where the imposing figure of the Frankenstein monster (Shuler Hensley) had been patiently waiting in the shadows. Van Helsing responded with a barrage of gunfire, seeking to fend off the monstrous trio.

As Van Helsing gazes upon the creature with a tranquilizer dart at the ready, he hesitates to deliver the fatal blow. The Monster's essence seems to resonate with a primal innocence, and Van Helsing's unwavering code of only vanquishing evil prevents him from striking the final blow. As the Monster succumbs to the effects of the tranquilizer, he utters a cryptic warning: "I am the key to Dracula's research, the one thing that sustains his brood." The creature's words are laced with an otherworldly wisdom, hinting at a deeper connection between himself and the notorious Count. Van Helsing's determination is piqued as he realizes the Monster holds the secret to Dracula's dark ambition.

As they navigate the treacherous landscape of Transylvania, Van Helsing's resolve is tested by the unrelenting forces of darkness. The trio soon finds themselves under surveillance by Velkan, whose sinister intentions are only matched by his cunning guile. With Aleera and Verona closing in, Van Helsing must act swiftly to protect the Monster and Anna from the clutches of the undead. His valiant efforts culminate in a climactic showdown with Velkan, which ends in the vampire's demise at Anna's hands.

However, this fleeting victory comes at a terrible cost: Velkan's venomous bite infects Van Helsing, leaving him weakened and vulnerable to the forces of darkness. As they journey on, Aleera reappears, extending an invitation to a macabre masquerade ball in Budapest. The promise of trading the Monster for Anna hangs precariously in the balance, but Van Helsing's stalwart determination drives him to resist this Faustian bargain.

The night wears on, with Dracula's sinister presence looming large as he woos Anna with his suave charm. But Van Helsing remains one step ahead, rescuing Anna from the Count's grasp just as Igor brings the Monster back into play. The ballroom erupts into chaos as the guests transform into vampires, forcing our heroes to make a hasty retreat.

As they regroup in Transylvania, they find that Dracula has vanished, leaving behind only whispers of his next move. Van Helsing and Anna seek solace in the ancient tomes of the library, where Carl's research reveals the dark history of Dracula's past. It emerges that the Count is, in fact, the son of Valerius the Elder, whose murder at the hands of "the left hand of God" had sparked a covenant with the Devil. This newfound knowledge serves as a powerful motivator for Van Helsing and Anna as they prepare to face the ultimate challenge: ending Dracula's reign of terror once and for all.

As they ventured further, Anna revealed that her father's fixation on a peculiar painting might hold the key to unlocking the mysterious door. Upon closer inspection, they discovered an inscription in Latin etched onto its surface, but it was incomplete - a crucial piece was missing. Van Helsing's eyes lit up as he recalled a fragment of the same picture that Cardinal Jinette had shared with him before his departure from Rome. The puzzle pieces finally fell into place when they read the inscription aloud together, and the painting transformed into a reflective surface that allowed them to step through into the snowy stronghold, Dracula's true lair.

As they entered the long, dimly lit hallway, their eyes were met with an eerie sight: pods containing vampire offspring suspended from the ceiling and walls, waiting to be animated. The Frankenstein monster, encased in a block of ice, caught their attention - his head, however, was free to gaze out at Van Helsing. In a haunting whisper, the Monster revealed that Dracula possessed a cure for werewolfism, leaving Van Helsing to ponder why the Prince of Darkness would harbor such an antidote.

Carl's mind raced back to another painting he had seen, depicting a werewolf slaughtering a vampire - now it all made sense. Only a werewolf could vanquish Dracula, and fate had scheduled Van Helsing's transformation for the stroke of midnight. Their plan was set in motion: allow Van Helsing to change and then inject him with the antidote at the last possible moment.

Meanwhile, as Van Helsing went in search of Dracula, Anna and Carl coerced Igor into leading them to the life-giving serum. The hunchbacked servant reluctantly revealed a syringe submerged in a viscous liquid - indeed, it was the antidote they sought. However, before they could claim it, Igor sealed the room, trapping them inside.

Aleera suddenly materialized, prompting Anna to fling the jar containing the antidote at her nemesis. The liquid splashed onto Aleera's face, causing her agony. Anna then targeted the bars on the door with more of the substance, effortlessly burning through the obstacles. As she kept Aleera occupied, Carl seized the opportunity to retrieve the antidote and set out to find Van Helsing.

Van Helsing had stumbled upon Dracula's laboratory, where the Prince of Darkness was attempting to drain the life force from the Frankenstein monster, hoisted to the rooftop. The Monster, poised for freedom, was struck by lightning, causing his lifeforce to flow down through the infant nursery, awakening the vampire offspring.

As the Frankenstein Monster gains freedom from its tormentors, it unwittingly becomes a pawn in a larger game of survival. Dracula, sensing an opportunity to strike, transforms into a bat and descends upon Van Helsing (Richard Burton), who is caught off guard by the sudden attack. The Monster, still reeling from the consequences of its own liberation, finds itself swept up in the chaos as it crashes through a window, interrupting the fierce battle between Anna (Talia Balsam) and Aleera.

As the Monster momentarily holds Aleera at bay, Anna seizes the opportunity to swing back into the laboratory using the same cable that had earlier been used to ensnare her. The timing is impeccable, as Carl (Michael Higgins) has already prepared a dose of antidote, which he hurls towards Anna just as she's about to be overwhelmed by Aleera. The timely intervention allows Anna to grab hold of the antidote and use it to fend off Aleera, ultimately striking the final blow with a spike to the heart.

As the clock strikes midnight, the atmosphere becomes even more ominous, and Van Helsing (Richard Burton) undergoes another metamorphosis, this time transforming into a snarling werewolf. However, his momentary advantage over Dracula is short-lived, as the moon suddenly conceals itself behind a cloud, causing Van Helsing to revert back to his human form. Dracula seizes this opportunity to reveal a long-held secret: it was Van Helsing who had murdered him in 1462.

The revelation sparks a chain reaction of events, as the moon reemerges, and Van Helsing once again becomes a werewolf. In a fit of rage, he attacks and devours Dracula's neck, causing the vampire to crumble into dust. This destruction also extends to all of Dracula's creations, leaving them nothing more than mere ashes.

In the aftermath of this cataclysmic event, Anna arrives on the scene just in time to administer the antidote to Van Helsing, ensuring that he reverts back to his human form. As the dust settles, Van Helsing and Carl come together to pay their respects to Anna's memory through a poignant cremation ceremony at sea.

The Frankenstein Monster, having finally found peace, departs by raft, while Van Helsing witnesses Anna's spirit reunite with her family in Heaven. In the end, Van Helsing and Carl ride off into the sunset together, a testament to the enduring power of friendship and redemption.